Nvidia AI Chip Sales to China | Trump Considers Policy Shift

Dateline: NEW YORK, November 24, 2025 – President Donald Trump is considering allowing Nvidia (NVDA) to sell advanced AI chips to China, potentially reversing export restrictions that have limited the chipmaker’s access to its second-largest market¹.

The decision could significantly impact Nvidia’s revenue streams, as China represented roughly 20% of the company’s data center business before current restrictions took effect.

Key Takeaways

Trump considering reversal of Nvidia China chip export restrictions
Commerce Secretary Lutnick confirms deliberations on AI chip sales
Decision could unlock major revenue opportunity for chipmaker

Market reaction & context

Nvidia shares have gained over 180% this year, outpacing the broader semiconductor sector as AI demand surged globally. The potential policy shift represents a major departure from the Biden administration’s restrictive approach to China tech exports².

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed the deliberations during a Bloomberg interview, though he provided no timeline for a final decision³.

Policy implications

The Biden administration imposed sweeping restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports to China in 2022, citing national security concerns. These measures specifically targeted Nvidia’s high-end H100 and A100 chips used for AI training⁴.

Under current rules, Nvidia can only sell less powerful chips to Chinese customers. The company has developed China-specific versions of its processors that comply with export controls but offer reduced performance⁵.

Strategic considerations

“Trump is weighing whether to allow Nvidia to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips to China,” Lutnick said during the interview⁶. He emphasized that the president would make the final determination on any policy changes.

Industry analysts view the potential shift as part of broader trade policy recalibrations under the new administration. China remains a critical market for semiconductor companies, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions⁷.

Business impact

Nvidia’s data center revenue reached 30.8 billion in its most recent quarter, driven primarily by AI chip demand. Restoring access to the Chinese market could provide additional growth opportunities as global AI adoption accelerates⁸.

The company has not commented publicly on the reported deliberations. Nvidia typically declines to discuss specific government policy matters that could affect its business operations.

Not investment advice. For informational purposes only.